Fabric



Sept. 15, 1931. A. L. HELWITH 1,822,889

FABRIC Filed June 10, 1931 A ORNEY Patented Sept. 15, 15331 ALFRED L. HELWITH, OF

PATENT OFFICE LARGHMONT, NEW YORK FABRIC Application filed June 10,

This invention relates to textile fabrics and methods of producing the same with a ribbed effect.

()ne object of the invention is to provide an improved textile fabric having a tension vision of an improved method rep, ribbed or bengali no effect by the use of successively alternate regular and reverse twist yarns.

Another object of the invention is to proof producing a fabric of the nature set forth.

A further object is to afford textile fabric of attractive appearance and which is durable and simple in structure, and can be woven in a generally conventional inexpensive manner.

A feature of the invention is that the ribbed appearance produced is in large part due to an optical illusion, resulting from the effects of shadows caused by the successive reversely twisted yarns, an effect which is difiicult to reproduce in a drawing, but which can be easily observed in the textile fabric.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

lVith the aforesaid objects in View, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter de-' scribed in their preferred embodiments,

pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated on the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a considerably magnified plan view of a section of a textile fabric embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of the textile fabric showing the normal appearance thereof.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its fea tures and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be. produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that- 1931. Serial No. 543,354.

the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, are submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 denotes a section of textile fabric, in greatly enlarged View, to show an embodiment of the invention. The same may include the filling yarns 11 and the warp yarns 12 which are interwoven in a generally conventional manner. It will be noted that the successive warp yarns are of regular and reverse twist of any ordinary tension as indicated at 12a and 1%. As a result thereof a ribbed effect is produced longitudinally of the filling yarns, and transversely of the reversely twisted warp yarns.

By arranging the Warp yarns in closer relation to each other than the filling yarns, the ribbed appearance rendered quite distinct. For example, I ma Y use filling yarns to the inch and 132 warp yarns to the inch, whereby a satisfactory appearance of the textile fabric is attained. However, I may also produce desirable effects by using more or less than 60 and 132 filling and warp yarns respectively, and in different ratios, greater or less than indicated. As the ratio of the yarns per inch of the filling and warp approach one, the ribbed efl'ect diminishes. It will be understood that different thicknesses and tensions on the warp and filling arns may be used, if desired, although such. characteristics are not necessary in my invention.

For a complete comprehension of the invention, it may be noted that textile fabrics with ribbed effects have been produced by suitably varying the thickness of the yarns, or the tensions thereon. Stripe effects in textile fabrics have also been produced by arranging a plurality of successive yarns of regular twist followed by a succession of reversely twisted yarns, and so on. In that case, the clearness of the stripe effect has been found to increase with the number of successive yarns of the regular and reverse twist used to obtain a stripe. I have found that if a 3 to 3 ratio is used, that is, 3 successive yarns of the regular twist followed by is accentuated and 3 successiveyarns of the reverse twist, the stripe effect 1s at a minimum; and if a 2 to 2 ratio be used,'the stripe effect fades out. By going further, and utilizing a 1 to 1 ratio, I find that a ribbed'efiect is produced according to my invention; but whereas the stripes above referred to extend longitudinally of the regular and reversely twisted yarns, in this invention the ribbed effect extends transversely thereto.

The ribbed eifect which I obtain appears to be caused by shadows resulting from the alternate successive regular and reversely twisted arns of the warp, but I suggest this exp anation without limiting myself thereto. The ribs 13 may be observed to extend in regular, parallel and uniformly spaced relation and are of even characteristics. Their distinctness in appearance will depend in part upon the direction of light striking the fabric, and the general impression is closely similar to a tension rep, bengaline, or other ribbed effect. The sheen of the fabric may aid in the production of the ribbed effect, but the fabric may also be suitably dyed or colored although the ribbed effect may be diminished to a certain degree thereby. While in its preferred embodiment, the invention includes a textile fabric having regular and reverse twisted yarns in alternate single succession, the invention is not to be limited thereto, as various other embodiments ma be produced according to the principles herein set forth.

It will be noted that by this invention the fabric can be inexpensively woven, and that it is neat and attractive in appearance, and well adapted for wear. The fabric may be made of yarns of Various materials including, for example, cotton, silk, and even fiber. In any case, the number of the yarns in each alternation or for each itch thereof may be, broadly speaking, suc as to produce a ribbed effect transversely to the regular and reversely twisted yarns, whether the same constitute a war or any other part of the fabric, and whet er the ribbed effect is lon itudinal or transverse of the length of t e fabric. A similar effect may be attained by reverse twisting of the filling instead of the warp, so that the terms warp and filling may be construed as equivalents herein.

I claim:

1. A textile fabric consisting of yarns substantially free of twist tension, said fabric having a filling and a warp, the warp including alternate consecutive yarns of regular and reverse twist, the warp yarns being successively uniformly and more closely spaced than those of the filling, so as to produce a ribbed effect transverse to the warp.

2. A textile fabric having a filling and a warp, the warp including alternate consecutive yarns of regular and reverse twist, the 

